WASHINGTON, May 30, 2013 -- For kids, few moments in life are more glorious than the end of the school year and the start of summer vacation. Hooray! Three whole months of sweet freedom!

But when school's out, kids from low-income families have a real problem on their hands.

Unlike their more affluent peers, most of them don't spend summer break at the library or reading books in the backseat on family trips. In fact, many of them won't open a book until school starts up again.

Those three months off take a disastrous toll. Experts call the effect "summer slide" and it erases months of hard-earned progress in school, lost ground that kids in need can't afford.

Books are the answer. Studies show that kids from low-income families who have access to books over the summer not only beat the summer slide, but make even greater gains than kids from wealthy and middle-class families.

Meijer, Random House Children's Books And First Book Bring New Books To Children In Need For Holidays

68,000 Brand-New Books Will Go to Children Throughout the Midwest

WASHINGTON, Nov. 30 2012 -- Michigan-based retailer Meijer and Random House Children's Books are joining forces with First Book, a nonprofit that provides new books to children in need, to give 68,000 brand-new, high-quality books to children from low-income families in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Kentucky.

"We're delighted that Meijer and Random House have stepped up to put new books into the hands of children who so desperately need them," said Kyle Zimmer, First Book's president and CEO. "We know that reading skill is the number one predictor of success in school, and now tens of thousands of kids will have new books in time for the holidays."

The books will go to children at local schools and community programs in First Book's national network.